There have been many times when I will be looking for something in my room or around the house, searching for hours but unable to find what I am searching for. It will often be something small, and that is exactly what happened one specific time. I had been looking all over the place, trying to find a remote. I looked everywhere that I could think of, under the couch, I checked the tables and counters, but couldn’t find it. Well, at some point during all of that the dog got up off of the couch, and as you may have guessed, that’s exactly where the remote was. The dog had laid down on top of it, completely covering it from view.
If something is covered, you can’t really see it, can you? You could have a deck of playing cards on the table, flip one card over and place your hand on top of it, but you will not be able to see what that card is, because it is covered. And that is just like what charity does with sin. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
Let me start by defining these two words: fervent and charity. If something is done fervently it means having or showing emotional warmth, fervor, or passion. And charity is an attitude of love and kindness towards others, and the representation of God’s love towards man.
Peter wanted us to be filled with charity towards each other, and to use that charity to cover up others’ sins. When you cover something, you can’t see it anymore. And when you don’t see something for a long time, you tend to not remember it anymore either. Like when you store things that you don’t use up in the attic and one day you decide to go up there and you see something and realize that you completely forgot that those were even up there.
Just as Jesus forgives all those who repent and come for forgiveness, we need to do the same. After all, being a Christian means being a follower of the life and teachings of Christ. When Jesus gives us forgiveness, He forgets all about our sins, and lets us begin anew.
Hebrews 10:15-17 “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”
And not just forgiveness for one or two sins, but Jesus offers His forgiveness for the entire world’s sin. His love truly does cover a multitude of sin. When Peter asked how many times he should be forgiving, what was Jesus’ response?
Matthew 18:21-22 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
There will be times when someone sins against us, and it will hurt. It will not feel good, but when this happens we need to be ready to forgive. When someone is filled with sorrow for their sin towards us we need to be ready to show love, not hate. We need to be ready to cover those sins, and put them behind us. Just like Christ. Cover those sins, and put them behind you, remembering them no more.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 